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The purpose of this research—which includes literature review and interviews with local food assistance agencies—is to better understand the magnitude of, reasons for, and impacts of food insecurity in Watauga County, North Carolina, which is home to Appalachian State University, high-end second homes, and the southern mountain town of Boone. Despite amenities such as resorts, spas, and golf courses, Watauga County is ranked the third highest in poverty of North Carolina’s 100 counties, and food insecurity is a problem that approximately one out of five people faces (Index Mundi, 2015; Appalachian District Health Department, 2013). According to the 2009-2013 United States Census Bureau (2015), the rate of poverty in Watauga County is nearly twice as high as the statewide average, and the median household income is 26% lower than the statewide average; yet the median value of owner-occupied housing units is 49% higher in Watauga County than North Carolina on average. While food insecurity in Watauga County is more prevalent than it is nationwide and worldwide, this research exposes that food insecurity is not as easily recognized in Watauga County (United States Congress, 2009; Coleman-Jensen et al., 2015). Food insecurity in Watauga County is masked—at least in part—by the extreme income gap between people experiencing food insecurity and those who are more affluent. This research points to a comparative framework of analysis for food insecurities in similar communities that, like Watauga County, may appear to be affluent tourism destinations but that are—in reality—facing disparate material and social conditions.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1

Laura Johnston—a twenty-one year resident of southern Appalachia—is a staff member and graduate student at Appalachian State University, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies with a Concentration in Sustainability in Appalachia. Laura Johnston is focusing her graduate research on sustainable food in Appalachia, and—beyond her scholarly research—she also works with the relatively newly formed AppalFRESH (Appalachian Food Research for Equity, Sustainability, and Health) at Appalachian State University.

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The purpose of this research—which includes literature review and interviews with local food assistance agencies—is to better understand the magnitude of, reasons for, and impacts of food insecurity in Watauga County, North Carolina, which is home to Appalachian State University, high-end second homes, and the southern mountain town of Boone. Despite amenities such as resorts, spas, and golf courses, Watauga County is ranked the third highest in poverty of North Carolina’s 100 counties, and food insecurity is a problem that approximately one out of five people faces (Index Mundi, 2015; Appalachian District Health Department, 2013). According to the 2009-2013 United States Census Bureau (2015), the rate of poverty in Watauga County is nearly twice as high as the statewide average, and the median household income is 26% lower than the statewide average; yet the median value of owner-occupied housing units is 49% higher in Watauga County than North Carolina on average. While food insecurity in Watauga County is more prevalent than it is nationwide and worldwide, this research exposes that food insecurity is not as easily recognized in Watauga County (United States Congress, 2009; Coleman-Jensen et al., 2015). Food insecurity in Watauga County is masked—at least in part—by the extreme income gap between people experiencing food insecurity and those who are more affluent. This research points to a comparative framework of analysis for food insecurities in similar communities that, like Watauga County, may appear to be affluent tourism destinations but that are—in reality—facing disparate material and social conditions.